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MLB Update: American League

By: Dan Mason
May 26, 2008

About a third of the Major League Baseball season is now behind us. For those of us who consider ourselves avid fans, we have been closely following our own team, and probably following the rest of the league a good deal as well. (Does anyone have time to really sit and watch most of your team's baseball games? If you do, please let us know your secret!) For the casual fan, as well as the avid fan who unfortunately has been too busy with somewhat more important matters (work, school, kids, house, lawn...), here is Part 1 of a two week series recapping the first two months of the season team-by-team, with the good and the bad for each team, along with my highly-professional and reliable analysis.

Leading off, the American League....

** All numbers based on games played prior to Friday, May 23. **

AL EAST

Boston Red Sox (31-19)

Pros: Dominant hitters...this team can beat you from any spot in the lineup... tops in BA, RBI, runs, and SLG %, 3rd in HR...and now they can run! (40 SB, 2nd most in AL)...pitching staff near the top in opposing batting average (.244)

Cons: Team ERA is fairly high (4.11)...pitchers have given up 4th most runs in AL and are giving up a lot of long balls (46, 3rd most in league)

Prediction/Suggestion: The pitching doesn't seem to be as strong as recent years, nonetheless, Daisuke is 7-0, and with the amount of runs they are scoring they can afford to give up a few. The pitching staff should settle down, and the hitters are experienced enough to expect their success to last. By far the best team in their division and should be the favorite for the AL Pennant.

Tampa Bay Rays (27-20)

Pros: The new-look Rays are improving! They sat alone atop the AL east for three straight days last week...they lead the AL in stolen bases(46) behind All-Star Carl Crawford (12) and B.J. Upton (11)... their pitchers are holding opponents to the 3rd lowest batting average in the league (.244) and have given up the 3rd fewest home runs (39)

Cons: They are very average in terms of hitting... They are near the bottom of the league in extra base hits and near the top in strikeouts... they are the former Devil Rays

Prediction/Suggestion: This is a young and improving team. They probably won't be able to fend off Boston, but should finish at least 3rd, and have an outside chance to be the runner-up in this division, which is but a shade of its former self. If they hold this group together, expect big things in a year or two.

Baltimore Orioles (24-22)

Pros: Pitchers have held opposing hitters to the 6th lowest batting average in the AL(.250)... 4 members of rotation have sub-4.00 ERA, led by Brian Burress and Daniel Cabrera

Cons: No sure-thing batter... worst pinch-hit BA in the league (.148)... young pitching staff lacks experience

Prediction/Suggestion: Like the Rays, the O's are slowly are improving with good young pitching and some solid hitters. However, they lack enough pop to challenge the top tier this season, and are likely to fall off as the season grinds forward.

Toronto Blue Jays (24-25)

Pros: Pitchers are tops in Ks, opponent batting average, and saves, and top 5 in ERA and hits allowed... starting staff is strong in slots one through five

Cons: Terrible run support (131 runs, 2nd fewest in league)... Roy Halladay has a losing record with a 3.38 ERA, exemplifying this problem

Prediction/Suggestion: The Blue Jays are pitching like World Series contenders, but their hitting is simply not enough, even with their impressive pitching. They will likely finish fourth or last in the division.

New York Yankees (22-25)

Pros: Backend of the bullpen is near sure-thing with Joba and Mariano... professional hitters who know how to work the count... 5th highest SLG % in league (.404)... Darrell Rasner has looked impressive (3-0, 1.89 ERA)

Cons: The aforementioned professional hitters are not hitting... 4th from the bottom in runs scored (191) and near bottom in team batting average (.256)... starters are not reliable and are not going deep enough into games

Prediction/Suggestion: It's panic time in the Bronx!!! Sign Roger Clemens for the rest of the season to sure up the rotation! Offer Barry Bonds $45 million for the rest of the season!!! Trade the entire Scranton Wilkes-Barre Triple A team to the Mets for Johan Santana!!!.......is Ted Williams still frozen? Think he would put on pinstripes??!!

(sorry, I got carried away there...)

Actual Suggestion: This one courtesy of my dad -- Move Jorge Posada to 1st base when he returns, and start Jose Molina at catcher. Posada has got to be at least as good defensively as Giambi, and can throw better, and it would be easier on his aging body than being behind the plate. Plus, think of the trickery that could take place, in terms of picking off base runners, by having 2 catchers on the field... Also, it would probably be safe to do the exact opposite of anything Hank Steinbrenner says.

AL CENTRAL

Chicago White Sox (26-20)

Pros: Second most HR and 5th most runs in AL... 2nd best ERA and by far fewest HR allowed... after a slow start, they seem to be finding their stride... just who is Carlos Quentin, and since when did he become so good (.299, 12 HR, 40 RBI, .586 SLG %)?

Cons: Manager Ozzie Guillen can be a distraction at times, although his tirades always seem to have a positive effect... they are built to mash, not manufacture runs (13 SB, last in AL), which is not always a reliable long-term plan

Prediction/Suggestion: The White Sox don't hit the ball often (3rd fewest hits in AL), but when they do, they hit it far... only one starter has an ERA above 4.00, so their pitching has been strong. They should be able to distance themselves from the rest of the weak AL Central.

Minnesota Twins (23-24)

Pros: Fewest walks allowed in AL... Justin Morneau (8 HR, 4th best 37 RBI) and Joe Maurer(.333, 2nd in AL in batting) could potentially lead the team to big things with a little more help in the lineup

Cons: Highest opposing batting average in AL (.279)... 2nd fewest HR in league... 2nd most errors committed(38, .979 fielding %)

Prediction/Suggestion: Francisco Liriano looked terrible in his come back appearances. He is now in Triple A Rochester, and is even getting hit hard there. The Twins are sticking around, and if they are smart, they will resist the urge to rush him back, and let him figure himself out before recalling him. In addition, they absolutely must find more bats.

Cleveland Indians (22-25)

Pros: 3rd best ERA in league(3.47)... 2nd fewest walks allowed... Grady Sizemore is hitting for decent power(7 HR) despite poor batting average(.254)

Cons: Worst team batting average (.231) and near-worst OBP and SLG % in league... 2B Asdrubal Cabrera is batting below the Mendoza line (.172)

Prediction/Suggestion: The Indians need to hope their pitching continues to be dominant because it is the only reason they haven't fallen completely out of contention. History says that their hitters won't be mired in a collective slump all season, and some extra batting practice may help cut down on strikeouts, in which they rank 4th worst in the league.

Kansas City Royals (21-26)

Pros: Alex Gordon (.295, 5 HR, 21 RBI) should be very good for a long time... Zack Greinke(5-1, 2.18 ERA) is becoming a stud #1 starter

Cons: Rank last in runs and HR... 2nd fewest walks drawn... only one member of starting lineup is batting over .300 (Mark Grudzielanek, .301)

Prediction/Suggestion: The Royals have been mired in mediocrity or worse for decades, and unfortunately, it looks set to continue. If management wants to show fans that they are serious about trying to win, they should sign Zack Greinke and Alex Gordon to long term deals, and let them grow into the leaders they could be.

Detroit Tigers (20-27)

Pros: Arguably best team on paper... Lineup is starting to come around after slow start... Magglio Ordonez (.315, 7 HR, 29 RBI) is a star, and can be counted on to always put up All-Star caliber numbers

Cons: Their pitching has been horrendous... worst ERA in league (4.90)... Near league worst 57% save percentage – they can't hold on even if they have a lead

Prediction/Suggestion: What happened to this team? After their tremendous improvement last season, and their huge off-season moves, they have completely fallen off the map. They had better hope Dontrelle Willis' stint on the DL helped him find his former self, and that young Justin Verlander (2-7, 5.61 ERA) starts pitching like he did last season when he won 18 games.

AL WEST

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (of California of America of The Milky Way of...) (28-21)

Pros: Top 5 in team batting average(.256), runs(221), total bases(662) and hits(434)... catcher Mike Napoli has shown surprising power(.245, 10 HRs)

Cons: High team ERA (4.24, 6th worst in AL)... 4th highest opponent batting average (.275)... Two dominant starters (Joe Saunders, Ervin Santana), but lots of questions in the rest of the rotation

Prediction/Suggestion: The Angels have been carried by their relentless lineup and their two All-Star Caliber starting pitchers. If they can keep hitting, they could be reminiscent of the D-Back's team that won the World Series in 2001 behind Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling, and a potent lineup.

Oakland Athletics (25-23)

Pros: Awesome rotation, featuring best ERA(3.37) and 2nd best opposing batting average(.239) in the league... Fifth in runs scored despite being bottom-five in batting average; can be partially attributed to highest base on balls total in league(201)

Cons: Lack power (bottom-4 in HR and SLG %)... despite excellent ERA, no impressive W-L records among starters (Joe Blanton is 2-6 with a 3.87 ERA)

Prediction/Suggestion: The A's are on the brink because of their superior pitching. They could stand to invest in another bat or two however. Frank Thomas is turning out to be a decent move, but wasn't there some guy who used to play in the Bay Area and who can mash the ball? ...is he still unemployed??

Texas Rangers (24-25)

Pros: Awesome lineup (2nd in runs, hits, doubles, SLG % and batting average, and tops in HR)... Josh Hamilton is only 26, and would win the Triple Crown if the season ended today(.335, 12 HR, 35 RBI)... 5 starters hitting at least .290

Cons: These are the Rangers, so of course pitching is their downfall... 2nd highest ERA in the league(4.72)... highest opposing batting average (.279) in AL... have given up 20 more hits than any other team in AL

Prediction/Suggestion: It seems like year after year it is the same story with Texas. Their lineup is incredible, and they can easily match any team run for run. If someone other than Vicente Padilla would step up and pitch, the Rangers would easily challenge for the AL West crown or at least the Wild Card. Would Barry Zito benefit from a return to the AL, or has he lost it for good?

Seattle Mariners (18-30)

Pros: The bullpen is holding up well, with only one ERA over 4.00... Jose Lopez (.294, 24 RBI), Raul Ibanez (.291, 7 HR, 31 RBI), and Ichiro Suzuki (.294, 21 SB) are playing well

Cons: The rest of the lineup is not hitting... overall anemic offense featuring bottom 6 ranking in runs, hits, batting average, and HR... rotation lacks a dominant starter

Prediction/Suggestion: The Mariners' stats are better than their last place record indicates. They should be winning more games, but need a frontline starter to emerge and need the rest of the lineup to start hitting to complement the three players mentioned.

Check back next week for a recap of the National League.

Dan Mason is a new graduate with a Bachelor's in Accounting. He day-dreams about being in the wilderness, and can't wait to be married in August. You can read his other work at http://www.helium.com/users/432252/show_articles.


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MLB Update: American League By: Dan Mason May 26, 2008 About a third of the Major League Baseball season is now behind us. For those of us who consider ourselves avid fans, we have been closely following our own team, and probably following the rest of the league a good deal as well. (Does anyone have time to really sit and watch most of your team's baseball games? If you do, please let us know your secret!) For the casual fan, as well as the avid fan who unfortunately has been too busy with somewhat more important matters (work, school, kids, house, lawn...), here is Part 1 of a two week series recapping the first two months of the season team-by-team, with the good and the bad for each team, along with my highly-professional and reliable analysis. Leading off, the American League.... All numbers based on games played prior to Friday, May 23. AL EAST Boston Red Sox (31-19) Pros: Dominant hitters...this team can beat you from any spot in the lineup... tops in BA, RBI, runs, and SLG %, 3rd in HR...and now they can run! (40 SB, 2nd most in AL)...pitching staff near the top in opposing batting average (.244) Cons: Team ERA is fairly high (4.11)...pitchers have given up 4th most runs in AL and are giving up a lot of long balls (46, 3rd most in league) Prediction/Suggestion: The pitching doesn't seem to be as strong as recent years, nonetheless, Daisuke is 7-0, and with the amount of runs they are scoring they can afford to give up a few. The pitching staff should settle down, and the hitters are experienced enough to expect their success to last. By far the best team in their division and should be the favorite for the AL Pennant. Tampa Bay Rays (27-20) Pros: The new-look Rays are improving! They sat alone atop the AL east for three straight days last week...they lead the AL in stolen bases(46) behind All-Star Carl Crawford (12) and B.J. Upton (11)... their pitchers are holding opponents to the 3rd lowest batting average in the league (.244) and have given up the 3rd fewest home runs (39) Cons: They are very average in terms of hitting... They are near the bottom of the league in extra base hits and near the top in strikeouts... they are the former Devil Rays Prediction/Suggestion: This is a young and improving team. They probably won't be able to fend off Boston, but should finish at least 3rd, and have an outside chance to be the runner-up in this division, which is but a shade of its former self. If they hold this group together, expect big things in a year or two. Baltimore Orioles (24-22) Pros: Pitchers have held opposing hitters to the 6th lowest batting average in the AL(.250)... 4 members of rotation have sub-4.00 ERA, led by Brian Burress and Daniel Cabrera Cons: No sure-thing batter... worst pinch-hit BA in the league (.148)... young pitching staff lacks experience Prediction/Suggestion: Like the Rays, the O's are slowly are improving with good young pitching and some solid hitters. However, they lack enough pop to challenge the top tier this season, and are likely to fall off as the season grinds forward. Toronto Blue Jays (24-25) Pros: Pitchers are tops in Ks, opponent batting average, and saves, and top 5 in ERA and hits allowed... starting staff is strong in slots one through five Cons: Terrible run support (131 runs, 2nd fewest in league)... Roy Halladay has a losing record with a 3.38 ERA, exemplifying this problem Prediction/Suggestion: The Blue Jays are pitching like World Series contenders, but their hitting is simply not enough, even with their impressive pitching. They will likely finish fourth or last in the division. New York Yankees (22-25) Pros: Backend of the bullpen is near sure-thing with Joba and Mariano... professional hitters who know how to work the count... 5th highest SLG % in league (.404)... Darrell Rasner has looked impressive (3-0, 1.89 ERA) Cons: The aforementioned professional hitters are not hitting... 4th from the bottom in runs scored (191) and near bottom in team batting average (.256)... starters are not reliable and are not going deep enough into games Prediction/Suggestion: It's panic time in the Bronx!!! Sign Roger Clemens for the rest of the season to sure up the rotation! Offer Barry Bonds $45 million for the rest of the season!!! Trade the entire Scranton Wilkes-Barre Triple A team to the Mets for Johan Santana!!!.......is Ted Williams still frozen? Think he would put on pinstripes??!! (sorry, I got carried away there...) Actual Suggestion: This one courtesy of my dad -- Move Jorge Posada to 1st base when he returns, and start Jose Molina at catcher. Posada has got to be at least as good defensively as Giambi, and can throw better, and it would be easier on his aging body than being behind the plate. Plus, think of the trickery that could take place, in terms of picking off base runners, by having 2 catchers on the field... Also, it would probably be safe to do the exact opposite of anything Hank Steinbrenner says. AL CENTRAL Chicago White Sox (26-20) Pros: Second most HR and 5th most runs in AL... 2nd best ERA and by far fewest HR allowed... after a slow start, they seem to be finding their stride... just who is Carlos Quentin, and since when did he become so good (.299, 12 HR, 40 RBI, .586 SLG %)? Cons: Manager Ozzie Guillen can be a distraction at times, although his tirades always seem to have a positive effect... they are built to mash, not manufacture runs (13 SB, last in AL), which is not always a reliable long-term plan Prediction/Suggestion: The White Sox don't hit the ball often (3rd fewest hits in AL), but when they do, they hit it far... only one starter has an ERA above 4.00, so their pitching has been strong. They should be able to distance themselves from the rest of the weak AL Central. Minnesota Twins (23-24) Pros: Fewest walks allowed in AL... Justin Morneau (8 HR, 4th best 37 RBI) and Joe Maurer(.333, 2nd in AL in batting) could potentially lead the team to big things with a little more help in the lineup Cons: Highest opposing batting average in AL (.279)... 2nd fewest HR in league... 2nd most errors committed(38, .979 fielding %) Prediction/Suggestion: Francisco Liriano looked terrible in his come back appearances. He is now in Triple A Rochester, and is even getting hit hard there. The Twins are sticking around, and if they are smart, they will resist the urge to rush him back, and let him figure himself out before recalling him. In addition, they absolutely must find more bats. Cleveland Indians (22-25) Pros: 3rd best ERA in league(3.47)... 2nd fewest walks allowed... Grady Sizemore is hitting for decent power(7 HR) despite poor batting average(.254) Cons: Worst team batting average (.231) and near-worst OBP and SLG % in league... 2B Asdrubal Cabrera is batting below the Mendoza line (.172) Prediction/Suggestion: The Indians need to hope their pitching continues to be dominant because it is the only reason they haven't fallen completely out of contention. History says that their hitters won't be mired in a collective slump all season, and some extra batting practice may help cut down on strikeouts, in which they rank 4th worst in the league. Kansas City Royals (21-26) Pros: Alex Gordon (.295, 5 HR, 21 RBI) should be very good for a long time... Zack Greinke(5-1, 2.18 ERA) is becoming a stud #1 starter Cons: Rank last in runs and HR... 2nd fewest walks drawn... only one member of starting lineup is batting over .300 (Mark Grudzielanek, .301) Prediction/Suggestion: The Royals have been mired in mediocrity or worse for decades, and unfortunately, it looks set to continue. If management wants to show fans that they are serious about trying to win, they should sign Zack Greinke and Alex Gordon to long term deals, and let them grow into the leaders they could be. Detroit Tigers (20-27) Pros: Arguably best team on paper... Lineup is starting to come around after slow start... Magglio Ordonez (.315, 7 HR, 29 RBI) is a star, and can be counted on to always put up All-Star caliber numbers Cons: Their pitching has been horrendous... worst ERA in league (4.90)... Near league worst 57% save percentage – they can't hold on even if they have a lead Prediction/Suggestion: What happened to this team? After their tremendous improvement last season, and their huge off-season moves, they have completely fallen off the map. They had better hope Dontrelle Willis' stint on the DL helped him find his former self, and that young Justin Verlander (2-7, 5.61 ERA) starts pitching like he did last season when he won 18 games. AL WEST Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (of California of America of The Milky Way of...) (28-21) Pros: Top 5 in team batting average(.256), runs(221), total bases(662) and hits(434)... catcher Mike Napoli has shown surprising power(.245, 10 HRs) Cons: High team ERA (4.24, 6th worst in AL)... 4th highest opponent batting average (.275)... Two dominant starters (Joe Saunders, Ervin Santana), but lots of questions in the rest of the rotation Prediction/Suggestion: The Angels have been carried by their relentless lineup and their two All-Star Caliber starting pitchers. If they can keep hitting, they could be reminiscent of the D-Back's team that won the World Series in 2001 behind Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling, and a potent lineup. Oakland Athletics (25-23) Pros: Awesome rotation, featuring best ERA(3.37) and 2nd best opposing batting average(.239) in the league... Fifth in runs scored despite being bottom-five in batting average; can be partially attributed to highest base on balls total in league(201) Cons: Lack power (bottom-4 in HR and SLG %)... despite excellent ERA, no impressive W-L records among starters (Joe Blanton is 2-6 with a 3.87 ERA) Prediction/Suggestion: The A's are on the brink because of their superior pitching. They could stand to invest in another bat or two however. Frank Thomas is turning out to be a decent move, but wasn't there some guy who used to play in the Bay Area and who can mash the ball? ...is he still unemployed?? Texas Rangers (24-25) Pros: Awesome lineup (2nd in runs, hits, doubles, SLG % and batting average, and tops in HR)... Josh Hamilton is only 26, and would win the Triple Crown if the season ended today(.335, 12 HR, 35 RBI)... 5 starters hitting at least .290 Cons: These are the Rangers, so of course pitching is their downfall... 2nd highest ERA in the league(4.72)... highest opposing batting average (.279) in AL... have given up 20 more hits than any other team in AL Prediction/Suggestion: It seems like year after year it is the same story with Texas. Their lineup is incredible, and they can easily match any team run for run. If someone other than Vicente Padilla would step up and pitch, the Rangers would easily challenge for the AL West crown or at least the Wild Card. Would Barry Zito benefit from a return to the AL, or has he lost it for good? Seattle Mariners (18-30) Pros: The bullpen is holding up well, with only one ERA over 4.00... Jose Lopez (.294, 24 RBI), Raul Ibanez (.291, 7 HR, 31 RBI), and Ichiro Suzuki (.294, 21 SB) are playing well Cons: The rest of the lineup is not hitting... overall anemic offense featuring bottom 6 ranking in runs, hits, batting average, and HR... rotation lacks a dominant starter Prediction/Suggestion: The Mariners' stats are better than their last place record indicates. They should be winning more games, but need a frontline starter to emerge and need the rest of the lineup to start hitting to complement the three players mentioned. Check back next week for a recap of the National League. Dan Mason is a new graduate with a Bachelor's in Accounting. He day-dreams about being in the wilderness, and can't wait to be married in August. You can read his other work at http://www.helium.com/users/432252/show_articles.